connotation

noun

con·​no·​ta·​tion ˌkä-nə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: something suggested by a word or thing : implication

the connotations of comfort that surrounded that old chair

b

: the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes

2

: the signification of something

… that abuse of logic which consists in moving counters about as if they were known entities with a fixed connotation.

—William Ralph Inge

3

: an essential property or group of properties of a thing named by a term in logic compare denotation

connotational

ˌkä-nə-ˈtā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

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What’s the difference between connotation and denotation ?

Connotation and denotation are easily confused, and the fact that neither word is particularly common in everyday use makes it difficult for many people to get a firm grip on the difference between them. While each of these two words has several possible meanings, they are notably distinct from each other in all senses. Denotation is concerned with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to be concerned with implicit meaning. The word home, for instance, has a denotation of “the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,” but it may additionally have many connotations (such as “warmth,” “security,” or “childhood”) for some people.

Examples of connotation in a Sentence

Miuccia Prada, a connoisseur of vintage jewelry, has a collection of tiaras and subverts their formal connotations by wearing them for the day. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, March 1997

Suddenly, Hsun-ching brightened. "So this is propaganda?" Alison did not know that, in Chinese, the word for propaganda literally means to spread information, and does not carry any negative connotations. —Mark Salzman, The Laughing Sutra, 1991

The word "evolution," with its connotation of unrolling, of progressive development, was not favored by Darwin; he preferred the bleak phrase "descent with modification" for his theory. —John Updike, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 1985

a word with negative connotations

For many people, the word “fat” has negative connotations.

The word “childlike” has connotations of innocence.

Recent Examples on the Web

Innovation, with its connotations of profit and social change, was even more suspect. —IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2025

Two exhibitions focused on weaving go beyond the functional, the folkloric, and the feminine, tracking fiber’s escape from the connotations of the grid. —Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 15 May 2025

But despite its popularization and mystical connotations, many modern practitioners view tarot less as fortune telling and more as a psychological tool. —Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025

Given the connotations, the White House's color choice was met with general confusion across the board. —Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

see connote

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for connotation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

connotation

noun

con·​no·​ta·​tion ˌkän-ə-ˈtā-shən 

: a meaning suggested by a word or an expression in addition to its exact meaning